My Life Is Better

Growing up in the barrio (neighborhood), I was a travieso (trouble maker). I was always running the streets, doing drugs and just wreaking havoc all the way around. I didn’t care whether I lived or died, life was what it was and I was a soldier for the neighborhood. I was on a narrow path straight to prison, where I eventually ended up at the age of fourteen—charged as an adult. I was sentenced to ten years. With not a care in the world, I continued to get deeper and deeper into drugs and violence.

Then, one day when I was sitting in my cell in solitary confinement, a letter slid under my door. I could feel the weight and lumps of pictures through the envelope as I picked it up. As I looked at the name of the sender, I was astounded that this woman had the audacity to actually write me a letter. She had done me wrong in so many different ways a few years prior to this and I really did not want to hear anything from her again. Curious to what she had sent though, I proceeded to open the envelope so that I could look at the pictures. It is not like I had anything better to do. As I peered down at the pictures, I did not believe what I was seeing; they were of the most beautiful baby girl that I had ever seen in my entire life. She was about three years old at the time. In shock, I went ahead and read the letter. It said, “I think it’s about time you meet your daughter.” I had a precious little angel on the outside and I didn’t want her to grow up without a father’s love like I had as a child. I knew I had to change if I was ever going to be there for her. Not to say my change happened overnight—because it took years, but this is why my life is better and how I made it so.

I got myself clean off the drugs and started by studying my culture, where I came from and the history of my race; which eventually turned to the study of me. I discovered my strengths and weaknesses then began to fine tune them to be a better man. I enrolled into every rehabilitation group I could get into, got my G.E.D., and took all the education that I was allowed.

I was released back into society a few years later with good behavior. I had been away nine years. My daughter was waiting for me at my grandparents’ house along with everybody else in my family; I could not wait to meet her. I recall when I walked through the door; my daughter ran up to me and jumped into my arms. We hugged one another for an uncertain amount of time. We were in our own world together and everything felt so right! When she jumped down, she ran to the table and grabbed an ice cream cake that read, “Welcome Home, Daddy!” We partied for the rest of the night without leaving one another’s side.

To wrap it all up, I was a troubled adolescent who ended up in prison. I went through the things I had to go through to become a wiser man. I got to know myself, kicked the drugs, received an education in schooling and all other aspects of my life; then met and fell in love with my daughter. Now as an adult, I am a productive, hard-working, educated member of society and loving father who enjoys the simple things in life. This I Believe: through getting to truly know myself, my life is better because I made it so!